Crossville Chronicle visits Grace Givers

A big thanks to the Crossville Chronicle for showcasing our business in the February Senior Living Special. We are doing big things this year! Read the full Article Below:

Grace Givers Home Care and Adult Day Services has a training room for caregivers to be trained on a variety of equipment used in the caregiving profession. All caregivers are trained before being assigned to a client.

Kelli Tipton, owner and founder of Grace Givers Home Care and Adult Day Services, left, and Tanisha Walker, director of public relations, discuss plans and activities for clients at Grace Givers’ new Senior Retreat Adult Day Center.

Grace Givers Home Care, LLC New Senior Retreat Adult Day Center opens

BY GARY NELSON Chronicle senior staff writer

Kelli Grace Tipton decided to open Grace Givers Home Care, LLC in Crossville after caring for her terminally ill grandmother. Tipton has worked in home health care since 2011.

“I was a supervisor of care givers and in 2017 I decided to take off work and take care of my grandma. We had used a lot of home health agencies for home care. Some of the care givers were good, and some of them were not. We had a hard time finding consistent, good care. I decided to take care of her,” Tipton said.

After her grandmother passed away, Tipton had a choice to make.

“Do I want to go back to work for someone or some agency? Or do I want to start my own business? I knew I could offer something better than what was out there,” Tipton said.

With her years of caregiving experience, hospice care and supervision experience, Tipton felt she had the right combination.

“I also had the benefit of seeing things from the family’s side so that helped me in knowing what families want and need for their loved ones,” Tipton said.

Grace Givers Home Care, LLC was born.

“Grace is my middle name, and it came from my grandmother. So it seemed like the perfect name for us,” Tipton said.

Tipton started with five caregivers and since December 2017 Tipton’s business rapidly expanded to more than 50 caregivers and a full-time office staff of six, including a licensed social worker.

Their mission is “To do honor and credit to those in need by providing no less than excellent, altruistic care founded on the biblically based principles of sacrificial love and serving others.”

They offer a complete line of home care services from just a few hours per visit to full-time care for clients in all stages of health.

The business grew so quickly that Tipton relocated to a new facility at 3888 Peavine Rd. in Crossville in September 2018. She recently established the Senior Retreat Adult Day Center in the Grace Givers facility.

Grace Givers Home Care and Adult Day Services is now a fully licensed care giving and adult day center.

“We’re licensed to practice in the entire state of Tennessee, but right now we’re focusing on Cumberland County,” Tipton said.

The center can offer daytime care at their facility for up to 15 people at one time. Their hours of operation for adult day services are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Each prospective client is assessed by the Grace Givers team to ensure each client’s needs are fully met.

“We work with the families

and set goals and each client is assessed on a quarterly basis. We are one of only two licensed adult day centers in our 14-county area,” Tipton said.

Tipton explained that each caregiver is trained in the Grace Givers training center. G.R.A.C.E. training is completed initially at hire, and covers topics such as household management, infection control, personal hygiene assistance, terminal and debilitating illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and how to properly care for a bed-bound client, and more.

Home care or caregiving services are non-medical or “non-skilled” services. These services are provided by specially trained caregivers and include assistance with bathing, dressing, oral hygiene, skin care, and more. The caregivers assist with housekeeping tasks, meal preparation, medication assistance, mind-engagement activities, games, errands, shopping, transportation, companionship and more. With in-home care the family picks their schedule time, duration, and the company tailors the client’s care to exactly what he or she asks for. No doctor’s order is needed for in home care; simply contact the company of your choice, and begin the sign-up process.

Although home care is considered “nonskilled,” any home care agency who performs personal care in the state of Tennessee, must be licensed and monitored by the Department of Mental Health.

Grace Givers Home Care and Adult Day Services is dually licensed by the Tennessee Department of Human Services and Department of Mental Health. They are also monitored by the Tennessee Department of Environmental Health and Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s office.

The Senior Retreat Adult Day Center offers care for clients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, isolation, frailty, physical limitations, and other chronic conditions. There are specific memory care activity programs including exercise, aromatherapy, music, art, pet therapy, cognitive enhancement activities and others. They are also certified in the Music and Memory program.

Tipton explained there are different levels of membership for the adult day center.

All memberships come with complete access to the day center with caring, licensed, CPR and first aid certified staff. Engaging and mentally stimulating activities are graded to meet each participant’s individual abilities. Help with activities of daily living including personal care and medication assistance is also included.

Full-time membership includes 45 hours per week.

Hot, nutritious and individualized lunches are offered at no additional charge. There are also healthy snacks throughout the day.

Part-time memberships include 20 hours per week in either morning or afternoon time slots from 8 a.m. to noon, or noon to 5 p.m. from one to four days per week.

Certified staff are available

for the reserved day each week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A day stay includes one to four days per week at a minimum of one day per week with complete access to the day center.

Each day is scheduled with activities in the center.

Benefits for the clients include preserving independence, promoting social and cognitive activities, safe engaging physical activities, creates a routine, social interaction and good nutrition.

Benefits for caregivers include reducing stress, anxiety or guilt.

For more information about Grace Givers Home Care and Adult Day Services, services offered, membership rates, questions regarding assessment, or special rate plans, call 931-337-0890